Over in Tech/Ops there was a thread gathering technical terms for a A.net glossary. But here in this forum I see quite a bit of slang being used, so I'm asking for people to contribute here (whether or not it makes it into the glossary.)

For example:

Bagsmasher = baggage handler
Flyboy = pilot (male)

Can someone tell me, what is the difference between a "bagsmasher" and a "ramp rat"? Is it possible for them to be the same, or are they always different?

Anyone have any slang terms for other airport personnel, such as security, ticket counter personnel, ATC's, crew schedulers, flight plan filers, etc.? How about other airline personnel?

Redngold, there is no difference between a bag smasher and a ramp rat, they are interchangeable terms.

How about towbars for aircraft mechanics and coneheads for avionics technicians? Also (and no flame hate mail for this one) skysluts for F/A's (regardless of gender) and crew schedulers were always just known as "skroods"

MxCtrlr Freight Dogs Anonymous - O.O.T.S.K.

DAMN! This SUCKS! I just had to go to the next higher age bracket in my profile! :-(

"Ron, I don't like you sneakin' up behind me with a rod in your hand. Just 'cause I'm the Mail B*tch doesn't mean I'm one of The Girls. Now get back in the Sh*t Truck before I make a Terrorist out of you. You'll have a lot of trouble with Pee Tests by the time I'm finished."

Swear to God I said that one day...

Those were our terms at Vanguard. I'm sure that many of them were unique, but several of them I'm certain were relatively common.

Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it in summer school.

Back before advance purchase fares.....when people actually could book a cheap ticket without paying any money upfront.....there was an expression about "a flight falling apart."

It was particularly true during a holiday period, when people might have booked XMas reservations in June and forgotten about them. You would have a 118 seat airplane, with a lid (number it booked to) of 147 or 152.....and clear all your standbys and still only go out with 90 people on board. That was a flight "falling apart".

We used to encourage standby passengers by telling them "go on out to the airport, you'll get on, the flights always fall apart during the holidays."

The ultimate example of this was during Southwest's first Labor Day serving Harlingen, TX (I believe it was '75) No computers yet...the reservations were kept on index cards and a month or two before the flight counted and filed....and the rez agents were told not to sell any more on the flights that were full.

Towards the end of July when they went thru the box with all of the September cards.....to everyone's dismay there were 376 people booked on that flight.

However, we learned real fast that God was looking after Southwest Airlines Co. If there was any doubt, this will prove it.

Right before the Labor Day weekend, a hurricane entered the Gulf of Mexico and threatened the lower Rio Grande Valley/Harlingen area. Hurricane warnings, Whitewing season disrupted, everyone's beach vacation plans shot to smithereens.

The flight booked to 376 folks.....went out with 28 revenue passengers, mainly news reporters going to cover the hurricane, and all of them stand by.

MD80/90- Mad Dog
L1011- Tritanic
737- (referring to Express jets) Piece of Sh*t or Pain in my A$$.
757- Crouch Rocket (also used to refer to a motorcycle)
727- beater or Hunk o Junk
MD11- Two t*ts and a Pu$$y (that's an inside joke with about 100 employees, and not meant to be offensive)

turns: a trip from the hub and back
stand-ups: very short overnights
blue juice: stuff in the lav toilet
lines: monthly schedules for flight crew
SCAB: someone who crossed a picket line
no wheels, no deals: no wheelchairs, no special pax assistance needed
ferrry: non scheduled flight without passengers (or gay flight attendant)
repo: moving aircraft to another gate after a flight
easy victor: evacuate the aircraft
crop dusting: when flight attendants walk down the aisle and fart

pushing tin = Air traffic control in general
spin = put a plane in a holding pattern
kiss my tail = result of a sharp turn/steep bank angle
six = (more military?) rear end of the plane
on your six = close behind you
company = aircraft in question is from your same airline

Maybe a bit off the topic, but I notice that the words 'flight attendant', 'air hostess/steward' and 'cabin crew', though interchangeable, seem to be localized. While most American people I know will use 'flight attendant', the preferred term here in Malta is 'cabin crew'.